The Cabinet approved the creation of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) covering the whole borough, and agreed in principle to lease air rights above a Council-owned car park to Dolphin Living to build 41 new homes. The Cabinet also noted Hackney Council's financial position as of 31 March 2024.

Public Spaces Protection Order

The Cabinet approved the creation of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)¹ to cover all of Hackney. The decision was made in response to the results of a public consultation on the matter. The Council received 1,587 responses to its consultation, of which 1,361 were from residents, and the remainder from stakeholders including the Metropolitan Police. The Council claims its proposals were supported by 92% of respondents. The new PSPO will replace the borough's existing PSPOs, which are due to expire. The purpose of the new PSPO is to give the Council the power to control “anti-social behaviour” in public spaces. This includes things like:

• Drinking alcohol in public
• Urinating or defecating in public
• Begging
• Graffiti and flyposting
• Playing loud music
• Using nitrous oxide

The Cabinet discussed the results of the consultation, and the potential impact of the PSPO on different groups in the community. Councillor X raised concerns about the impact of the PSPO on homeless people.

We need to be careful that we are not criminalising homelessness. We need to make sure that there are adequate support services in place for people who are sleeping rough. In response to Councillor X's comments, Councillor Y said that: The Council is committed to supporting homeless people. We have a range of services in place to help people who are sleeping rough, and we are always looking for ways to improve these services. The PSPO is not about criminalising homelessness, it is about tackling anti-social behaviour. Councillor Z welcomed the introduction of the PSPO, saying that: I think this is a really positive step. We've seen an increase in anti-social behaviour in recent years, and I think this will give the police the powers they need to tackle it.

The Cabinet voted to approve the creation of the new PSPO.

Colville Estate Heat Network

The Cabinet approved in principle the lease of air rights above the car park at Buckland Street to Dolphin Living, a provider and manager of homes for working Londoners, for the development of 41 new homes. The development will be constructed above the ground floor car park at Buckland Street, with a connection to the existing Colville Estate Heat Network². Dolphin Living was selected as the Council’s preferred bidder for the site in 2021. The Cabinet report considered by councillors shows the proposed development would meet the requirements of the original tender, namely that it:

• Provides at least 50% genuinely affordable housing.
• Is delivered at no cost to the Council.
• Contributes to the Council's climate change objectives by minimising carbon emissions. The development will consist of 41 new homes, all for social rent, and a new substation³ to serve the estate. Councillor P, the Cabinet Member for Housing Needs, welcomed the scheme, saying that: > This is a fantastic example of how we can work with partners to deliver much-needed affordable housing in Hackney. > This development will provide 41 new homes for families on our housing waiting list, and it will also help to improve the energy efficiency of the Colville Estate.

Financial Performance Quarter 4 2023/24

The Cabinet noted the Council's financial performance in the fourth quarter of 2023/24, and considered a report which set out the Council's overall financial position as of 31 March 2024. The Council's finances have been affected by a number of factors in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and the war in Ukraine. The report to the Cabinet showed that the Council had a net underspend of £1.308m for the 2023/24 financial year, which represents an underspend of 0.3% against the Council's net budget. This underspend is largely the result of increased revenue from parking charges and interest. Councillor Q, the Cabinet member for Finance and Resources, said that:

I am pleased to report that the Council's finances are in a relatively healthy position. However, we are facing a number of challenges in the coming years, including the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and the government's austerity measures. We will need to continue to make difficult decisions in order to balance the budget, but I am confident that we can do so while continuing to protect frontline services.